Tips for Taking Kids to the Theater

A kid’s first trip to a Broadway show or touring production could be the beginning of a lifelong love of theater. But go in unprepared and you may be in for a night of torment—for you, your child, and your fellow spectators. Here are some tips for avoiding tantrums, boredom, and overspending when taking kids to the theater.

Choose an appropriate show.
Do some online research to decide which play or musical is the best fit. Most official show sites give a minimum age recommendation—often 6 years old—but use your judgment and knowledge of your kid’s sensitivity level. Family-focused musicals with child actors make good and relatable introductory theater experiences.

Get the best seats.
Take a look at the theater’s seating map and choose a spot on the aisle, near an exit. If your young theater companion gets bored, restless, or needs to go to the restroom during the show, you won’t have to stumble past a row of perturbed audience members.

Familiar songs can reclaim a kid’s waning attention span.

Buy the soundtrack.
A concert is much more fun when you know the songs the band is playing. The same applies at the theater. If you’ve decided on a musical, start listening to the tunes well in advance. Familiar songs can reclaim a kid’s waning attention span during the show.

Summarize the story.
Spoilers aren’t an issue where kids are concerned: Giving children a run down of the basic plot and main characters will help them understand what’s happening during the show. (It may also prevent loud exclamations of, “Who’s she? What’s happening? Is that a good guy or a bad guy?”)

Establish some rules of etiquette.
Before the lights go down, think about issuing two key reminders: No kicking the seat in front of you and no talking during the show. This second point segues nicely into a discussion you can have at intermission about live theater, and how exciting it is that the performers can actually hear the audience respond.

Keep costs down.
Theater tickets can be expensive—add overpriced refreshments, programs, and merchandise and you’re looking at a sizable dent in your bank account. But if you buy your tickets with your Citi ThankYou® Preferred Card, you earn two ThankYou® Points for every dollar you spend on dining out and entertainment. Cut down on food spending by eating beforehand if possible, and if you are water drinkers, skip the plastic bottles and find a fountain. Souvenir-wise, check the prices at online retailers like the Playbill Store and Broadway.com before you go to the show. If the prices at the theater are significantly higher, hold out and buy online. (The delay in purchasing may also prevent impulse buys you may live to regret.) VIP and premium tickets that offer backstage tours can be tempting, but the old-fashioned approach of seeing cast members at the stage door is free. Ask an usher for directions after the show—kids will long remember their star encounter.